After the Proposal
by Nazgulette
Summary: My version of what happens after Numair proposes in The Realms of the Godsand goes to when Daine Meets Kel. Just assume Daine said yes. New Chapter here! Please R
1. Prologue: Romance Begins

Prologue: Celebrate  
Disclaimer: All the main characters (I invented a few) belong to Tamora Pierce. The only thing that's mine is the plot.  
  
[Auther's note: I am basing this on the Immortals series.This is a story about what happened after Numair proposed to Daine.   
This will begin with everyone coming as Cloud said they would in the end, and will go to when Kel (from the Protector   
of the Small series) meets Daine. Enjoy!]  
  
  
  
Daine and Numair walked over to greet Onua, Kitten and Tkaa as they came towards the willow tree.  
"Aar- I mean - Numair! You're alive! Daine! How did you find him?  
"I wasn't actually looking for him.....I just stumbled upon him."  
"Hmmmmmmm, said Cloud, "you 'stumbled' upon him. What an interesting way to describe ramming him against a tree and   
then-"  
"Enough, Cloud!" scolded Daine. Numair's looks told her that he was extremly curious about what Cloud had said.  
Numair told them they should go back to where everyone else was. "I want them to be able to celebrate my life," he   
joked.   
When they arrived back, the king and queen were delighted to see Numair. Others were asking "Big Blue" what had  
happened with Daine. Soon everyone was crowded around Numair and Daine. Numair whispered something to the King. The King   
grinned, glanced at Daine and the walked a few feet away.  
"I have an anouncment, or I should say Master Salmalin has an anouncment." He had everyone's attention.  
Numair cleared his throat. " I would like to say that Daine and I," he said, nodding to Daine to come over," are   
betrothed." Here Daine started to cry with joy. "Also, I am thinking about becoming a juggler again." Everyone laughed,   
including Daine. "So now, let's celebrate victory and our engagment!"  
Everyone cheered. Onua started crying and ran up to Daine. She gave Daine such a big huge Daine got the wind knocked   
out of her. All the animals near by started running around with joy.  
Looking around at ragged and wounded soldiers, Daine thought: I'm gald they have a reason to celebrate.  



	2. Chapter 1: Plans and Stormwings

Chapter 1: Plans and Stormwings   
Disclaimer: The only things that are mine are the the plot and the boy, Daniel. The rest belongs to Tamora Pierce.  
  
[Author's note: I would like to thank everyone for reviewing my (what is now) prologue! I would also like to thank my sister for encouraging me to  
write more. Her pen name, by the way, is KTLacy. She has a really cool and suspenseful story called "Running" (yes, I'm shamelessy promoting my  
sister's story). I hope you like this chapter. I will probably create new characters, if not in this chapter, then the next. Enjoy!]  
  
Traveling back to the castle from Legann, Daine and Numair started planning their wedding. Well, Numair listened, and Daine planned. "I never  
thought I would like this planning stuff, but I do! It's so exciting!" All her friends, especially Queen Thayet and Onua, found comments like this  
from Daine highly amusing. Even so, they gladly added ideas of their own.  
  
There were so many things to think about for Daine. Where should the wedding be? Who would she invite? What would her dress look like?  
Numair's outfit? What about decorations- what should they look like? Where would she buy them?   
  
Luckily, Queen Thayet and Onua volunteered to help. Even the Lioness said she might help! [A/N: what we really need now is for them to help  
Nazgulette get over writer's block! Oh well, I can manage!] Thayet was very exited about the dress. She volunteered to take over that whole  
catagory- designing, buying, maybe even sewing, if she had the time.  
  
They were gretted warmly when they reached the castle. Everyone was celebrating victory still, and word about Daine and Numair's engagment had  
spread quickly. Daine and Numair were both congradulated by complete strangers, but that just heightened their excitment.  
  
"Daine," said Numair, "since this has nothing to do with magic I ask you to please take over the wedding arrangments. I have never had much style sense,  
otherwise I would have cut my hair awhile ago."  
  
Daine laughed. "It looks nice. Besides, I'd be sad if you cut your hair off. It accents your face nicely. "Numair chukled, kissed her [A/N: Come on, the  
kisses would have to come sometimes!] and walked off. "Thank you!" he called back.  
  
Onua was approaching Daine. "Hello! I think I may have found the perfect place for the wedding! There is a big field near the edge of Corus. It is covered with  
little flowers, and is currently being sold by the owner, who apparently really needs money. We can rent it, and have the wedding there!"  
"That sounds great, Onua! I'll have to tell Numair!"   
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
After dinner one night, Onua, Daine, Queen Thayet and Alanna were wlking around a pond near the castle talking about wedding plans. Suddenly, Daine saw,  
or sensed, colors. Gold with black and green lights in it. "Stormwings are coming." They all reached for thier weapons. "Don't hurt them immediatly. They may only   
be coming to talk." Alanna snorted her disbelief.  
  
Just then the Stormwings came in to view, with Barzha in the lead. "Hello, Daine," Barzha said, when they got close. "We heard about how you spoke for us from  
'Big Blue'. We thank you."   
  
"You spoke for them to stay?!" the Lioness sputtered. "What did you do that for?!"  
  
Barzha smiled evilly. "So, it slipped your mind to tell them. Well, have fun explaining," she said still smiling her crooked grin. As the Stromwings flew off, the women   
heard Barzha say, "Congratulations on the engagement."  
  
"Goddess," said Daine, "if even Stormwings know about our engagement, then the news spread way too fast!"  
  
"Now," said the Queen, "let's talk about this Strmwing issue. Why-"  
  
"WHY IN THE NAME OF MITHROS, GAINEL AND KIDUNKA DID YOU WANT THEM TO STAY??" Alanna shouted.  
  
"Lioness! Control your temper!" Onua scolded. "We're all curious, but we don't have to shout," she said, seeing tears begin to well up in Daine's eyes.  
  
"Well, be- be- because they shouldn't be punished for what they are!" Daine said, hoping they would except their answer. They did, even though the Lioness seemed  
to remain a little grumpy.  
  
"Ok. I apologize for shouting," the Lioness grumbled.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
The next morning King Jonathan wanted to know why she spoke for the Stormwings, but the queen told her to go take care of Cloud or something and let her   
explain. So, Daine went on her daily visit to Cloud. In the stables she found a stableboy about 10 years old waiting for her.  
  
"Is it true you spoke for Stormwings?" he asked, brimming with excitment at the thought someone might actually know or like Stormwings enough to speak for  
them.  
  
"Yes," Daine answered,"and may I have the pleasure of knowing who I'm speaking to?"  
  
"I'm Daniel," the boy said, "I'm a stableboy here. Is it also true you can speak to animals? I'm new here and I've heard that rumor."  
  
"Yes, that is also true. Would you like me to speak to some and tell you what they say?" she asked, smiling. Daniel nodded. "Okay. How 'bout I ask that  
gelding over there if he likes you." She asked the horse with her mind.  
  
"Yes," the horse said,"I like him. He sneaks me treats after he eats. Usually apples." Daine smiled and turned to the boy. "He likes you," she told him. "He says  
you sneak him treats."   
  
The boy's ears turned red with embarrasment at being caught. "You won't tell anyone, will you? I'll get in trouble!"  
  
"No," Daine assured him, "I won't tell. Now, I have to take care of my horse. I'll see you tomorrow."  
  
"Nice kid," Daine thought. After taking care of the horse, she went inside to continue planning the wedding. Planning, always planning.   
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
[A/N: Okay, hope you liked it! Not much Cloud in this chapter, but that's okay! 


	3. Tragedy Falls Upon Us

Chapter 2: Tragedy Falls Upon Us  
  
[A/N: I know I haven't written for a really, really long time and I hope you can forgive me and at least READ this chapter. Maybe this should be called an author's warning instead. I don't know how many people will like it because it's going to be a bit depressing. Also, just to let you know, Daniel will become a main character, and this chapter is about him mostly. Daine will barely be in it.]  
  
Daniel sat in a hayloft, thinking. Could Daine help him? No. No one could. He was in this world alone. A freak. A freak with a secret. Yet another part of himself reminded him that Daine was marrying a mage. Could he help? No, he decided. I will take care o' myself. I doan' need no help.  
  
Tired of his depressing thoughts, he got up to check on all the horses in the stables. He reached Daine's mare, Cloud, and stopped to pet her. She put back her ears, ready to strike. She was NOT in the mood to be petted. But when he laid his hand on her mane,   
She relaxed a bit. She could sense this boy needed help. He needed humans, not her, though. Until he had the strength to ask for help, she would do her best to help him.  
  
Daniel stopped petting Cloud when she became obviously restless. He moved on to the other horses, giving them more hay or water or whatever they may need, since Stefan was out for the day, helping prepare for the big wedding coming up. Daniel smiled to himself, thinking. People are so exited about the wedding, because there was something to celebrate about besides the end of the war. Then he frowned, rembering something. He had been happy about the war until he heard, or thought he heard, a voice. He remembered it saying, "Stop the wedding, now. Stop it, or someone will get hurt!" His stomach dropped at the thought of that voice. It hadn't sounded threatening, only urgent.   
Very, very urgent.  
  
***  
Two weeks came and went. The wedding was tomorrow. Daniel desperately wanted to go (he worshipped Daine), but he was too shy to ask. He sat on a hayloft, deep in thought, when Stefan called up to him.  
  
"Boy, git down here!" Stefan called. Daniel knew he meant him, because he was the only stable hand besides Stefan. Stefan was very protective of his horses. But, miraculously, Daniel had been picked to help Stefan. Maybe because he didn't have a home to go to.  
  
Daniel jumped down. "Daniel," Stefan called, "I have a question to ask. Would you like to go to the wedding?"  
  
Daniel was speechless. "Th- th- the wedding?" he managed to get out. The he had too many words to say. "Of course! Yes! Why? Who asked? When? What should I wear?!"  
  
Stefan laughed at his antics. "Daine asked, boy. She wants to know if you could bring Cloud down. Then you could stay and watch."  
"Wow! Great! I'll be there! Waaaaa hoooooooo!" Daniel ran of screaming. Stefan shook his head, still smiling.  
  
***  
It was the day of the wedding. It was just about to start. Daniel rode down the street proudly, wearing his new outfit made especially for the wedding, and riding Cloud, who had a new leather saddle in honor of the occasion.   
  
They rode down the street, heads high, when they heard the reverend begin to start the ceremony.  
  
"C'mon Cloud," muttered Daniel, putting her into a trot. There was the wedding, right in front of them. Daine noticed them and gave them a tiny smile. Just then there was a slight whistling sound, and Cloud reared in panic. She fell, hard, never to get up again. Daniel pulled away, in spite of a broken leg, to see an arrow protruding from the horse's side.  
  
She had been shot.  
  
***  
Daine saw Cloud rear. She ran towards Cloud and Daniel, leaving the wedding behind. She didn't notice that Numair, seeing what was happening, was right behind.   
  
She got to Cloud's side. Kneeling she thrust her magic into Cloud to see if she could be saved. She could not. The arrow had reached her heart, and the black shadow of death was quickly covering Cloud in Daine's mind eye.  
  
"Tragedy falls upon us," Numair was muttering.  
  
"Cloud," she said, not caring if she was speaking inside her mind this time.  
  
"No." Cloud spoke back. "Don't try to save me. We have had a good life together, but now you must bless someone other than I with your love. Bless Numair, bless Onua, bless all you know. And save that Daniel boy. He needs help. Save him, for you cannot save me." With that, she was gone forever.  
  
[A/N: How about a depressing ending to get your spirits down? Now you see why I said this might not be your favorite chapter ever. Well, at least I added to the story, right?]  



End file.
